Mathematics Subject Classification

Comments

I just wanted to propose a round of golf-clapping for Warren for putting together the entries on compass and straight-edge constructions (a topic I am very fond of). The entries look just *great*, with really nice graphics that illustrate the process.

I just wanted to propose a round of golf-clapping for Warren for putting together the entries on compass and straight-edge constructions (a topic I am very fond of). The entries look just *great*, with really nice graphics that illustrate the process.

There have been many discussions here (even complains) about the difficulty and lack of help for the user who wants to add pictures. It would be nice to work on that and make some collaboration where the issue of creating and adding graphics is explained clearly (but at length). Maybe this exists already? ... I see this one:

> There have been many discussions here about the difficulty and lack of help for the user who wants to add pictures....

Perhaps the current graphics collaboration is too long and overwhelming, and it might be better to create an alternative collaboration that deals exclusively with PSTricks. Any thoughts on this?

Of course, if a collaboration on PSTricks is approved, then we should encourage separate collaborations on other graphics packages commonly used on PM. On the other hand, would this many collaborations about graphics be any less overwhelming than the current collaboration???

> > Perhaps the current graphics collaboration is too long and
> > overwhelming, and it might be better to create an
> > alternative collaboration that deals exclusively with
> > PSTricks. Any thoughts on this?

I agree that the current document is too long and overwhelming. If PStricks worked for you (and it is easy to use) it would be nice to also have a collaboration on that (the more help the merrier!), illustrated with easy examples as well as more advanced examples (but without going into a lot of detail like the other collab).

I agree that the document needs some substantial changes (I tried to make some in the PSTricks section). But right now, it's a mixture of basic how-to and odd hints that are useful for PlanetMath only.

First, it would be good to know what means of creating graphics people actually use (or want to use) and then try to document only those. My list would be
.eps (generated however)
PSTricks
Eukleides (to generate either .eps or PSTricks input)
xypic
but I'm probably missing something that is widely used on PM.

For each of those, we should collect a few good examples of use and walk through those examples explaining the interesting points as well as PM-specific hints and issues. That, together with a URL to on-line documentation, and a basic introduction describing what the tool or method does, should be useful for most people.

A couple of months ago, it was pretty hard to find good examples of graphics on line; now I think it's pretty easy.

I think it might be better to start with something a little less ambitious. I think if we limit ourselves to just the power of PSTricks, we can already go quite far... especially with illustrations added.

I think each commonly used package (PSTricks, Eukleides, eps, xypic) should have a collaboration of its own. Otherwise, we will run into the same situation: People will be overwhelmed by one big long collaboration about a number of options for graphics. Maybe people will still be overwhelmed by the number of collaborations on graphics, but at least the collaborations themselves will be much shorter and thus less intimidating.

I have actually put a lot of thought into a PSTricks collaboration. I envision it as more of a tutorial, showing people the ropes (drawing lines, circles, arcs; using axes; drawing in color) along with some PM pitfalls (declaration of packages, the rput workaround, issues with declaration of work space).

I will try to start on a PSTricks collaboration some time tomorrow if no one beats me to it.